"Based on internal estimates, Battlefield 3 has sold through five million units in the first week globally, making it the fastest-selling game in EA's history."

That record is quite an achievement, all things considered. It makes Battlefield 3 a bigger initial hit than FIFA, Madden, Tiger or any of its key franchise titles.

Server problems resolved

The company also says that the server disruption experienced by some online gamers was largely resolved over the weekend.

The official release added: "Consumers have logged-on in unprecedented numbers to team up and join the battle. Server stability was solid in the first weekend, delivering EA's highest-ever usage rates.

"While some players experienced intermittent disruption of online services due to high volume, internal estimates show that servers and service uptime stabilized to roughly 98.9% throughout the weekend, ensuring that players were connected and enjoying the game."

EA's sales figures will come as a massive boon to the company, with its chief rival, the all-conquering Modern Warfare 3 title set for release on November 8th.